The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, said today (July 14) that Hong Kong has long recognised the importance of education with education spending as our top priority.

At the opening ceremony of the International Education Forum and Expo (IEFE), Mr Tsang said our future depends on education. He said, "Education provides our young people with the knowledge and experience they need to contribute to society.

"It helps lift young people out of poverty and provides them with opportunities to build a better life. It empowers young people to pursue their dreams, and to become the leaders of tomorrow.

"We aim to nurture and cultivate our children with learning. Likewise, our education system also needs to grow, change and adapt to new demands and needs.

"Hong Kong's New Academic Structure - implemented since September 2009 - is a key education reform that aims to better prepare our students for the demands of a dynamic, knowledge-based global village."

On the IEFE, Mr Tsang said Hong Kong is honoured to have attracted such a substantial number of Education Ministers to the first Education Ministerial Roundtable. Their participation, he said, underscores the importance that all of our governments place on education.

Organised by the Education Bureau, the IEFE is being held between July 14 and 16 to showcase the successful experience of Hong Kong's education reform, and the articulation of the New Academic Structure (NAS) to different education systems of the world.

Themed "Learning Journey for the Globalised World", the three-day event in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre comprises a Ministerial Roundtable, an International Conference and an Education Expo.

The Ministerial Roundtable on July 14 will focus on how different nations bring forth the desired quality of human resources for sustainable development, and new competencies in facing the ever-changing challenges of today's globalised world.

It has drawn the participation of education ministerial officials from the Mainland, Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Macau.

The International Conference, on July 14, will bring together internationally renowned scholars and local and international speakers to discuss how global trends and reform in school and higher education contribute to human resource development. They include Professor Ruth Hayhoe, Sir Michael Barber, Professor Geoff Hayward, Dr Moses Cheng and Professor Edmond Ko.

More than 60 parallel sessions will be held on July 15 and 16 for parents and schools, expounding on the learning opportunities in Hong Kong for all students to succeed under the NAS, the articulation of the Hong Kong New Senior Secondary education (NSS) with other countries, and how the NSS curriculum prepares students for transition and attaining success in multiple pathways.

The Education Expo, to be held on July 15 and 16, features about 60 exhibition booths to highlight the articulation of the NAS with local and international education systems. It is open to the public and admission is free.